The present invention relates generally to a device for maintaining conductors within the interior cavity of a wall a certain distance from a wall surface parallel to the attachment surface of a wall stud. More particularly, the invention is directed toward a rigid and self-correcting bracket that assures the conductors are maintained a certain distance from a wall surface even if the conductor positioning brackets are unintentionally contacted by a worker or other individual after the conductors have been correctly installed.
In most construction of buildings and homes, wall surfaces are typically composed of gypsum wall board, also known as drywall. To construct these wall surfaces, support members, typically known as wall studs, are vertically mounted and secured in the structure to define a frame for the wall and conductors, such as electrical wiring, are then mounted within the frame. Power operated tools are then generally utilized to secure the drywall to the studs using screws, nails, or other fasteners.
Unfortunately, construction workers often misjudge the location of these studs. As the power operated tools are capable of rapid and forceful driving of fasteners, and the studs are located behind the drywall, such a misjudgment can potentially damage conductors during the installation process. Consequently, conductors must be kept a safe distance from the drywall to assure that these conductors will not be damaged by an inadvertently inserted fastener. The same reasoning extends to lay persons who seek merely to decorate a completed room by hanging pictures, clocks, lighting fixtures, or other items. Since the electrical conductors and studs are hidden from view, the decorator runs a risk of severe electrical shock and creating a fire hazard.
For these reasons, the National Electric Code (NEC) and many local building codes require that all conductors be placed at least 1¼″ behind the wall. Even if such codes do not apply, it would still be prudent to take steps to avoid the risks inherent in failing to maintain conductors a safe distance behind the wall at all times. Furthermore, the brackets disclosed in the prior art are insufficient to ensure the code is adequately met to the extent they do not address the problems that arise when the conductors are somehow displaced away from one wall to the point that they are subsequently less than 1¼″ from either wall surface.
What is needed then is a device that can correct or prevent an unintentional bending or displacement of the bracket to assure that the conductor is maintained in a fixed position at least 1¼″ from the wall surface after securement of the drywall.